Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

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Petechiae. Pinhead-sized sites of bleeding in the skin. This type of bleeding results from a very low platelet count. The small hemorrhages are frequently seen on the legs, feet, trunk and arms. They evolve in color from red to brown, and eventually disappear. They stop developing when the platelet count increases. Phagocytes. Cells that readily eat (ingest) microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi and kill them as a means of protecting against infection. The two principal phagocytes are neutrophils and monocytes. They leave the blood and enter tissue in which an infection has developed. A severe decrease in the concentrations of these cells is the principal cause of susceptibility to infection in patients treated with intensive radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Treatment may suppress blood cell production in the marrow, resulting in deficiencies of these phagocytic cells. Platelets. Blood cells (about one-tenth the volume of red cells) that stick to the site of blood vessel injury, aggregate and then seal off the injured blood vessel to stop bleeding. “Thrombocyte” is another word for platelet and a form of this word is often used as the prefix in describing disorders of platelets, such as thrombocytopenia (too few) or thrombocythemia (too many). Platelet Transfusion. Transfusion of donor platelets, which may be needed to support some patients treated for blood cancer. The platelets can be collected from several unrelated donors and given as pooled, random-donor platelets. The platelets from about six single-unit blood donors are required to significantly raise the platelet count in a recipient. Sufficient platelets can be obtained from one donor by a procedure known as “apheresis.” Platelets are skimmed from large volumes of blood passing through a specialized machine. The red cells and plasma are returned to the donor. The advantage of single-donor platelets is that the patient is not exposed to the different antigens on platelets from many different people and thus is less likely to develop antibodies against donor platelets. HLA-matched platelet transfusion can be given from a related donor who has an identical or very similar HLA tissue type. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A technique to expand trace amounts of DNA or RNA so that the specific type of the DNA or RNA can be studied or determined. This technique has become useful in detecting a very low concentration of residual blood cancer cells, too few to be seen using a microscope. PCR can detect the presence of one blood cancer cell among 500,000 to one million blood cancer cells. PCR requires a specific DNA (or RNA) abnormality or marker, like an oncogene, in cancer cells to be used for identifying residual abnormal cells. Port. A small device that is used with a central line that allows access to a vein. The port is placed under the skin of the chest. After the site heals, no dressings are needed and no special home care is required. To give medicines or nutrition, or to take blood samples, the doctor or nurse inserts a needle through the skin into the port. A numbing cream can be put on the skin before the port is used. page 38 I 800.955.4572 I www.LLS.org
Promyelocyte. A cell that is formed in the transition from an immature cell to a mature cell during the development cycle for certain types of white cells. Red Cells. Blood cells (erythrocytes) that carry hemoglobin, which binds oxygen and carries it to the tissues of the body. Red cells make up about 40 to 45 percent of the volume of the blood in healthy individuals. Reduced-Intensity Stem Cell Transplantation. A form of allogeneic transplantation, now in clinical trials. In reduced intensity transplantation (also called "nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation"), patients receive lower doses of chemotherapy drugs and/or radiation in preparation for the transplant. Immunosuppressive drugs are used to prevent rejection of the graft (donor tissue). The engraftment of donor immune cells may allow these cells to attack the disease (graft-versus-leukemia effect). More study is needed to determine the effectiveness of this treatment for CLL patients. Studies to determine the usefulness of reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation in older patients are also under way. For more information about all types of stem cell transplantation, see the free LLS publication Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation. Refractory CLL. The term used to describe CLL that does not go into remission or improve substantially after treatment with standard therapy for the disease. Newly diagnosed patients or relapsed patients may have refractory disease. Relapsed CLL. The term used to describe CLL that responded to therapy but, after six or more months, stopped responding. Remission. The disappearance of evidence of a disease, usually as a result of treatment. The words “complete” and “partial” are sometimes used to further define the term “remission.” Complete remission means that all evidence of the disease is gone. Partial remission means that the disease is markedly improved by treatment, but residual evidence of the disease is present. Resistance to Treatment. The ability of cells to grow despite exposure to a chemical that ordinarily kills cells or inhibits their growth. Refractory disease is the condition in which a proportion of malignant cells resist the damaging effects of a drug or drugs. Cells develop drug resistance in several different ways. See Multidrug Resistance (MDR). Richter Transformation. In a small number of patients, a progression in their CLL in which their disease becomes more characteristic of an aggressive lymphoma such as large cell lymphoma, prolymphocytic transformation, or Hodgkin lymphoma. This change is not a second cancer, but a transformation of the CLL cells. Spleen. An organ located in the left upper portion of the abdomen just under the left side of the diaphragm. It contains clusters of lymphocytes and also filters old or worn-out cells from the blood. It is often affected in CLL and lymphoma. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia I page 39
Page 1 and 2: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia JUNE D
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents 2 Introduction 2
Page 5 and 6: along with a cancer diagnosis. LLS
Page 7 and 8: We’d Like to Hear From You. We ho
Page 9 and 10: etween herbicides used in Vietnam a
Page 11 and 12: infrequently, cause an increase in
Page 13 and 14: Chromosomal Changes. Certain chromo
Page 15 and 16: Treatment Current therapies do not
Page 17 and 18: Chemotherapy. Chlorambucil (Leukera
Page 19 and 20: Table 3. Some Drugs Used to Treat C
Page 21 and 22: Prolymphocytes. About 15 percent of
Page 23 and 24: Kinase Inhibitor Therapy. Kinases a
Page 25 and 26: The National Cancer Institute-spons
Page 27 and 28: Table 5. CLL and Related Diseases L
Page 29 and 30: { { The neutrophils and monocytes a
Page 31 and 32: Medical Terms Allogeneic Stem Cell
Page 33 and 34: Bone Marrow Biopsy. A test to exami
Page 35 and 36: e counted. One use of flow cytometr
Page 37 and 38: HLA. The abbreviation for “human
Page 39: egg or the sperm and can be transmi
Page 43 and 44: More Information Free LLS publicati
Page 45 and 46: Notes Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Page 47 and 48: REACH OUT TO OUR INFORMATION SPECIA

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